U's Bow Out Of Cup

The match got off to a quiet start, and it wasn’t until the twelfth minute until a real moment of note occurred.

They eventually fell to a 7-3 defeat as four second half goals from the home team ensured they progressed to the next round.

Things had looked good for the U's when they took a lead midway through the first half through Ryan Clampin, but the home side were in control for much of the rest of the game on a tough night for the young Colchester side.

Colchester United bowed out of the FA Youth Cup at the first hurdle in disappointing fashion on Wednesday night, as Dagenham put them to the sword in East London.

The ball was slid into Hyde in the box and he went down ten yards out, but the referee waved away penalty appeals.

The U’s went down the other end and got a shot away, as Ager tested home keeper Carter who tipped it away with a low save.

U’s shot stopper Phillips was off his line smartly on twenty minutes to smother a shot from Dagenham left back Gordon as the home side broke the defensive lines.

The match had been a little fractured in the first half of the first half, but the U’s got their noses in front on 23 minutes with a move of good quality.

They strung a series of passes down the left and it finished with McKeown squaring a low ball into the box for Clampin to sweep confidently home.

Straight after the goal, though, Daggers had two good chances to equalise.

First a long range effort was pawed away by Phillips, before the U’s keeper reacted smartly to tip over after Kensdale’s back header looked like it might drop into his own goal.

The U’s then went close again as they went up the pitch and got it into a dangerous area, where McKeown swept just wide.

The home side then drew level, as Mongoy’s shot from the edge of the box took a deflection and found the bottom corner.

And, to complete an action packed ten minutes, White slotted home a penalty as Kensdale was adjudged to have handled in the box.

The U’s could have fallen further behind on 37 minutes, as Florence burst into the box, but Phillips stood up strong to turn the shot away.

After the break, it was again the visitors who started the brighter, with Hyde robbing Ferlisi on the edge of the box, only to fire wide of the near post.

That chance sparked the U’s into life and they played with a much better tempo in the next ten minutes.

However, they fell further behind just before the hour mark when Daggers got their third. Hyde’s shot was well saved by Phillips, but it fell to White to roll home his second of the match.

The U’s almost responded immediately.

First Clampin burst towards goal but his squared cross was just beyond McKeown, before the U’s winger then forced a good stop out of Carter.

However, Dagenham took the game further out of the U’s reach a minute later when White was given time to get a shot away on the edge of the box and he drilled home a low effort past Phillips.

The U’s introduced Aaron Cosgrave for Dean Ager shortly after that goal, but it was the home side who were again next to go close.

A long shot cannoned off the crossbar, and Phillips reacted well to tip over White’s follow-up.

The U’s then made their second change as Josce Syrett replaced goalscorer Clampin for the final twenty or so minutes, before Tom Carlton came on for Partridge.

However, four became five when Florence was on hand to smash home after Ferlisi had blocked a shot six yards out.

And, to further deepen the Col U wounds, Hyde made it six from the penalty spot as he sent Phillips the wrong way with ten minutes to go.

The U's did test Carter in the final ten minutes of the game as first Jones and then Cosgrave forced good saves out of the Dagenham keeper.

They then did give the scoreline a closer look, as first Dunne converted from the penalty spot after his free kick had been handled, before McKeown scored from close range from a cross from the right.

But the final word was to go to the home team as Florence was on hand to tuck home after Phillips' save dropped at his feet.